Brewster Ponds Summit 2022

Cyanobacteria bloom, School House Pond, 2021

The Brewster Ponds Coalition and the Town of Brewster present Brewster Ponds Summit 2022 on Friday, June 17th from 9AM to 12 Noon at the Brewster Baptist Church, 1848 Main Street, Brewster, MA.  Brewster Ponds Summit 2022 will focus on the impact of septic systems on Brewster’s groundwater and freshwater ponds, as well as potential solutions and funding mechanisms.  Town officials will participate. The summit is an open forum and residents are encouraged to attend and ask questions. The summit will also be livestreamed on the town of Brewster's Facebook Page.  Link Here:
https://www.facebook.com/brewstermass​ 

The Brewster Ponds Summit 2022 will consist of presentations by a panel of experts in many fields including environmental engineering, sewers, alternative septic systems and the available funding mechanisms.

“Septic systems are the greatest contributor to groundwater and freshwater pond degradation,” said Susan Bridges, Brewster Ponds Coalition President. The town of Brewster has been very forward thinking about protecting the watershed around our town wells, resulting in numerous awards for the quality of our drinking water.  However, the portions of our town not protected by land purchases, including most of the ponds, bay water, and private wells, are experiencing increasing water quality degradation with septic systems being the number one cause.  We need to address this problem, investigate our options and plan for the future.”

“The Town of Brewster has always been a leader in seeking to preserve and protect our vital natural resources,” said Peter Lombardi, Brewster Town Administrator.  “Maintaining and improving our water quality is a consensus priority for the community.  Looking ahead, we are facing complex policy decisions with significant financial and environmental impacts on our residents.  As we reflect on our progress to date and explore various potential upcoming water quality initiatives, the Town appreciates the continued partnership and support of the Brewster Ponds Coalition and looks forward to co-sponsoring this event with them.”

Expert panelists include:

John Keith is an environmental engineer with over 45 years of experience. He has traveled throughout the world studying and working on environmental problems. John currently works with Pure Earth, an NGO, assessing and developing cleanup plans for mercury and lead contamination sites in developing countries. Previously, John was VP of Environment and Safety for Pfizer and Assistant Commissioner of the NJ DEP. In his career he has designed and operated several wastewater treatment plants and assessed water pollution problems in numerous locations. He is a founding member and currently Vice-President of the Brewster Ponds Coalition.

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​Mark Nelson - Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Sandwich, MA.  Mark is a Principal and Senior Hydrogeologist with over 30 years of experience in water resource planning focusing on wastewater management and its impacts to drinking water, freshwater ponds and coastal estuaries. He has been working for the Town of Brewster since 2011 on the development and implementation of the Town’s Integrated Water Resource Management Plan, including plans to protect and restore Brewster’s freshwater ponds.

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​Brian Dudley - Worked for MassDEP for 32 years retiring in December 2021 as the Wastewater Management Section Chief for the Cape and Islands.  His responsibilities included permitting, compliance and enforcement and administering groundwater and Title 5 regulations. Additionally, he served as the Project Manager for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project and helped develop the first of its kind watershed permit for the Pleasant Bay watershed.  Prior to arriving at MassDEP, he worked for a private consulting firm in Falmouth.

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Brian Baumgaertel - Director of the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center, Sandwich, MA.  Brian is a Senior Environmental Specialist at the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment. He is a Registered Sanitarian, Environmental Health Specialist, Title 5 Soil Evaluator and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator. Originally from Upstate New York, Brian has lived on Cape Cod for 15 years and currently resides in Mashpee, where he serves as Chair of the local Board of Health.

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Nathaniel Keenan, Massachusetts Clean Water Trust - Nate Keenan is Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust where he has worked since 2011. During that time, he has worked to execute over $1 billion in bond issuances, drafted the Trust’s first Green Bond and Sustainability Bond disclosure language, and developed a lead and copper pipe testing and remediation program for schools in Massachusetts. Nate graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Saint Michael’s College and a Master’s Degree from Suffolk University. 

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